How do I segment my list?

There are many reasons that you may need to segment your list. An easy way to do this is by using filters. Filters allow you to segment your list based on any of the data fields in your subscriber data base. The example below shows how to segment your list alphabetically based on email address. If you create a filter using numerical values you will need to keep the following in mind.

- Numerical fields must have the same number of digits. If the numbers being compared do not have the same number of digits you may encounter strange results.

- Dates must be in the following format: yyyy-mm-dd

The example below is going to walk you through creating a set of filters that segment a list alphabetically using the subscriber's email address:

1) Click on "Subscribers"

2) Click on "Filters"

3) Click "Create Filter"

4) Enter the filter name and a description, then click "Create"

5) Now you will select which data field you will be filtering against. Select a field off of the "Add filter field" drop-down. Once you have selected a field click on "Add" (For the purposes of this example we are selecting E-Mail address.

6) Now select the criteria you would like to base the filter on. The drop-down box on the left hand side allows you to choose how you want to compare the data you enter on the right hand edit box to your subscriber list. For the purposes of this example I am choosing "is less than" on the drop-down and providing the data point "F". Once all information is entered press "Save Changes." Be careful if you use the "Add Condition" link pictured below. This creates what is called an "OR" block. At first glance you would think you can create a filter that might say "is less than F" or "is greater than A" and get everyone with an email address between A and F. Unfortunately you would receive your entire list if you did this. You would get everyone that had an email address under F in addition to everyone that had an email address above the letter A.

This creates the first filter. When applied it will create a segment of any list it is applied to that contains everyone with an email address that contains everyone with an email address that begins with a letter below F or a number (numbers occur before letters alphabetically). Now we will show how to create the next filter that would include email addresses that start with letter between F and R.

1) Create a new filter using the steps above. Now as above when choose "Email Address" off of the "Add Filter Field" drop-down. Now I'm going to create a rule filtering all addresses "greater than or equal to F". It should look as it does below.

2) Now go back to the "Add filter field" drop down. I'm going to select "Email Address" and then click "Add". This will create an "AND" block. Now I"m going to add a rule saying less than "R". Once this is done click "Save Changes". The screen should appear as it does in the image below.

Now there is another filter on the account. It will create a segment that contains every email address on a list starting with a letter between F and R. To get the last part of the list you would create another new filter with the rule "is greater that or equal to R". You will be able to use these filters for any list on your account. When you send a message you will be given the option of choosing which filters you would like to apply to a specific send.

In addition to "greater than" and "less than" rules, we support these other comparison operators:

contains

("gmail.com" would match any email address containing "gmail.com")

does not contain

("gmail.com" would match any email address that does not contain "gmail.com")

begins with

("a" would match any email address beginning with an "a")

ends with

(".org" would match any email address ending in ".org")

does not begin with

("a" would match any email address that does not begin with an "a")

does not end with

(".org" would match any email address that does not end in ".org")

is equal to

("anne@gmail.com" would only match the email address "anne@gmail.com")